A little excitement to mix things up

 The last month we whiled away time at the Sea Spray Resort and Marina and then returned up to the Hope Town Inn and Marina which continues to move forward in its development. Along the way these past weeks we attended a Hope Town Fire and Rescue Fair, did some shelling, endured a stretch of high winds, and went to pick up Rich in Marsh Harbour so he could vacation away from the misery of Winter up North.
 BASRA or Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association and the Hope Town Fire and Rescue teams are volunteer organizations that provide medical assistance, fight fires, and assist stranded mariners. Considering the area these two teams provide assistance for, it's no surprise they are spread thin. Even on Great Abaco, the island is protected solely by volunteers. A quick look at this link http://www.basra.org/fleet.html will illustrate how little BASRA has to work with, and looking here http://www.hopetownfirerescue.com/apparatus.htm points out what is available to assist those on Elbow Cay. Certainly BASRA has full plate. So when they have fairs to generate some cash we attend and purchase a few things to help out. They do a great job of helping people out and making the Abacos a safer environment.
 The United States Coast Guard is also a valuable player over here and we see them once in a while. The cutters are present in the Gulf Stream when we cross and their helicopters are seen on patrol along the East Side of the Cays every once in a while. In fact one of their planes performed a number of low passes over Hope Town while the Hope Town Fair was active. They are always a welcome sight whether or not we are traveling as we occasionally hear of someone in distress.
 As usual during the Winter here in Abaco, we get high winds that can last quite a while and this year was no exception. On a few occasions it blew at levels near gale force for a day or so. Here in this photo we see the road linking the North and South communities on Elbow Cay. This portion of the road was severely damaged when hurricane Irene scored a direct hit on Elbow Cay but it is passable now since sand has been pushed back up into place from the Atlantic side beach to support it again. It has been reduced to a single lane but it is passable and everyone cooperates. The stone blocks are new this year and provide a certain amount of safety to the vehicles that make their way towards the Abaco Inn, Sea Spray, and the communities South of White Sound which would be on the left. Since the sand was pushed up to the road and vegetation has not had a chance to take root, the dune is starting to take over the road. It's not all bad though because the sand is filling the pot holes that can rip an axle out of a small truck or bend the frame of a golf cart. But it beats rolling down the dune to the right which is about 20 feet high and a steep angle of about 30 degrees. Walking South to Sea Spray or the Abaco Inn on the beach is certainly possible and quite pleasant but during periods of high winds, one pass on the beach is all you need for a year's worth of facial exfoliation. These tans are expensive and we don't want them blown off in an hour.
 Back on the 9th of March we moved Freedom over to Mangoes marina and restaurant in Marsh Harbour. The dock master Ray was really busy because as we were approaching half of the boats at the marina decided to leave and he was making sure it all went well. Finally he got us into a slip and tied up with power and water. In fact he hopped on and grabbed a couple of lines to make sure we did not mash our freshly painted bow pulpit into the main dock. Since we were in Marsh before Rich arrived it gave us a chance to rent a car and perform some shopping. Note, I had not driven in several months then, and, they drive on the correct side of the road here. Suffice it to say Deb had some practice with the word "LEFT!". Fortunately it went well. All of the shopping and the trip to the airport went very smoothly if only for me. In the evening we settled into a great dinner at Mangoes followed by a beverage on the aft deck and a nights rest.
 It's a good thing we rested well.
 The trip back to Hope Town Harbour was calm which allowed me to open up Freedom in an attempt to shake off some of the beard growing below the water line. Since she sits around quite a bit the growth starts within a few days of docking and builds quickly. In full bloom can take 10 knots off the 21 she is capable of. That day all we could muster was 16.4 after a good stretch at full throttle. Anyway given the increased pace before we knew it we were idling along within the narrow channel into Hope Town Harbour when it happened. A boat issued a security call saying it was 30 feet wide and coming into the channel from the Harbour. I replied we are in the channel, being followed by the ferry and we have no where to go. He responds don't block the channel. At this point that is an impossibility but we have no option other than to stop and move as close to the channel edge on our starboard as we can. Fortunately the ferry stops as well, and then, here comes this spindly trimaran with an outboard out of a blind corner. We hailed him again demanding him to move to starboard and he just missed us. In passing he and his crew exclaimed they could not steer. Since he missed us I am thinking he is not capable or willing to spend the effort required to steer but that is my opinion. Subsequently we heard he has a bad habit of pulling stunts like this. At the time and as part of our passing I offered him some direction and related a bit of judgement many were able to hear. Hollering security on the radio does not grant you passage in a narrow channel. That is a negotiated process and failing negotiation, which he had the burden of accomplishing, all vessels are required to take all possible actions to avoid an accident. All this because he couldn't wait a half a minute. Once tied up at the marina we were approached by a few folks that heard the passing situation develop on the radio and they offered their condolences and support regarding the encounter.
 Anyway it's all good no one was injured, and no damage was done. Since we were keeping a sharp lookout in a busy narrow channel it went as smoothly as it could given the pushy uncontrolled attitude of the trimaran operator. Being tied up and safe we began to consider our options for lunch.
 This is when the saturation effect started. Rich and I stepped on a scale upon his arrival aboard Freedom back on the 9th. Given this is a vacation scenario we anticipated some weight gain and decided to make a contest of it. Exactly which way the contest turns out is yet to be decided. That is, do we race for the most or least gain?
 In preparation of his arrival and even before we left Florida we stocked up on good booze, mixers, and beer. Now it's only one week in, and it's all gone. Something tells me I'm going to lose the bet on weight given diets that include deep fried pickles, wings, conch fritters and crab dip. As if that wasn't enough to push the needle on the scale over, we took Freedom to Guana Cay for a weekend.
 The Barefoot Man was in town and we decided to break up the monotony by hitting Nippers during one of their busy weekends. Friday afternoon the Barefoot Man and his band put on a show that pulled in people from all over the Abacos. It was a zoo. Image about 1000 mature people singing the refrain to Smokie's "Living Next Door to Alice". We stayed long enough for three frozen Nippers and moved on to Grabbers for a snack. The music was good, so was a walk on the beach, but we needed some space and moved on. We were re-introduced to the policy at Grabbers where they hold your credit card while you sit there. We told them we would never be back. More over, the menu there has been reduced to a very few fried items which were good, but did not seem satisfying. Perhaps we are a bit spoiled by the good lunch work being done at Firefly. By the way, some of the Grabber staff were at Firefly the Monday after the Barefoot Man weekend! I guess that says quite a bit given they have to ride about 12 miles in a boat to get there.
 The next day we are back at the marina with an uneventful crossing from Guana Cay back to Elbow and getting into the dink. We're interested in lunch over on Elbow Cay so we are going to dink across the harbour, land, and then take a walk to On Da Beach. Before getting far at all we hear some strange noises coming from the boat next to us. She is a well outfitted Flemming and this raises concern. After all, the boat is well designed and manufactured thus the brand is held as a highly regarded passage maker. We ignored the noise initially thinking it was the air conditioning but as we motored around it's starboard side we saw water going over the side from a discharge we had never seen active before. I decided lunch was going to have to wait and went back to the transom and hopped aboard. Since the owner, a good man, had shown me where the keys were prior to flying out, I opened her up and it wasn't long before I found the issue.
 It was merely a HIGH WATER ALARM.
 Swell.
 No, not waves (swells) in the bilge, just an exclamation of how I felt at this point being on a strange boat in that was in distress. I called the marina crew on the phone several times and only got phone mail. So lunch was going to have to wait even longer while I tried to resolve an issue on an expensive boat I did not own and didn't know anything about. Eventually I was able to sort things out and get the boat stable. After a few more calls on the phone I managed to reach someone and pass the baton associated with making sure the boat stayed afloat.
 And finally things are settling down a bit. But we need to restock the cabinet and it's expensive out here. Back to box wine and mixed drinks with cheap rum! We have to keep Rich happy and ignorant of the notion that the weather is unusually warm in NYS this Winter.

  

Out and About

 With some more of this Bahamian good weather several of us decided that cruising down a little past Snake Cay and then back into the shallows to a blue hole was a good idea. The Sea of Abaco was calm and with an invitation to ride with Bill and Carol we grabbed our snorkel gear and headed out in their Carolina Skiff joined by Dave and Carol in their skiff.  

 The intended destination is a tide restricted area. That is to say, you had best time your arrival with high tide or you will be hauling the dink out over very shallow water, if you can! While we had some concerns about getting in and out of the snorkel site, we pressed on churning up some sand every now and then. After about 10 minutes of poking around we arrived at the blue hole where Dave and I pulled on our dive suits and jumped in. The water started out quite clear but with all of our movement it clouded up a bit but regardless it was still quite scenic. Deb and Carol used look buckets and watched us as I free dived into the hole and Dave used his Hookah. Some day I'm going to have to piece together one of these rigs because they can save a mess of cash spent on bottom cleaning. Instead of paying a diver every time the bottom needs a little scrubbing I can don the gear and hop in myself. Brownie puts together a good rig, but the system can be pieced together using components much more economically.
 Anyway, the blue hole was actually quite deep. I was able to get down about 15 feet or so but Bill's depth sounder indicated it was actually much deeper than this. Perhaps almost 60 feet. Given it was lined with ledges full of fish I didn't have to go far or risk being trapped to enjoy the experience. Since Deb's dad has had very sad experience cave diving we've taken a lesson from this and always elected not to penetrate anything while diving. Besides I was on my lung capacity and that is not what it once was.
 Eventually we realised that the tide was shifting to the outbound direction and it was time to haul anchor and move on. Since we still had good sunlight and some tide I suggested that we check out the passages behind Snake Cay to see if we could spot some of the spotted Rays. Within a couple of minutes we were there and spotting rays with wingspans exceeding 3 feet. A school of 6 or so led us out of the area and back into the Sea of Abaco for our return North which took us to Lubbers Quarters and Lubbers Landing where we discovered a different sort of blue hole. It comes in a canning jar and consists of rum, coconut rum, blue curacao, some ginger beer and a twist of lime. Very refreshing and they go down too easily!
   And then it was Saturday. Now it was time to hop the ferry provided by Froggie's Dive shop over to Man O War so we could take in the flea market. As you look at the photo on the left consider that, as opposed to all of the other Cays in the Abacos, Man O War is a dry Cay. That's right they do not serve or sell alcohol there. Given this fact the reason the cart was hanging off the wall remains a mystery to us. As we were walking along we heard a cart start up and all sorts of commotion ensued. Fortunately the cart stopped in time and did not fall several feet into the water. Perhaps there were people sitting on the bench seat at the rear of the cart providing a counter balance keeping the cart from falling. Whatever the reason for salvation it was resolved with some friendly hands pulling the cart back onto the parking area. Perhaps this was an accident caused by unfriendly shifters on carts that are not very positive with regard to the selection of forward and reverse.
 Speaking of forward and reverse, something that does not have much control or ability to reverse met us as we motored along in the White Sound entrance channel. It was a rather large float plane leaving the Abaco Inn. When it turned on it's landing lights I stood up and waved for all I was worth. Some of us have had the experience of meeting a float plane on the Rondout Creek in Kingston NY when it was on final and there was no action to take but SCRAM! Fortunately in this case, we all had plenty of time to take action because the plane was in the process of leaving the Abaco Inn, not landing. To his credit the captain held up so we could race into the channel towards Sea Spray and get out of his way. Once we were past he throttled up a bit and moved out onto the Sea of Abaco where he took off. I believe the plane was making a ferry run for "Music Doing Good" at the Hope Town Harbour Lodge as there were additional planes carrying the musicians landing today. This is yet another good example of the way folks down here contribute to Every Child Counts on a regular basis. Next week, I believe the function is benefiting Hope Town Fire and Rescue.

 Cool.

Beach Combing and Spouts

  It has been rather breezy down here lately and that is illustrated by the wave action in this photo. Usually we need a day or two of light winds before the sea settles down and obviously they still have some additional room for improvement. In this case it had been blowing 30+ knots for what seemed like a couple of days but now it has diminished to about 15 knots. Given this more subdued environment we could walk the beach and merely be treated to a mild facial exfoliation instead of being completely sand blasted. With that we decided to take a walk at low tide yesterday.
 All along the way we kept our eyes open for interesting bits in the surf and along the shore. Today's combing offered up a small trident and a few pieces of interesting glass but by and large the beaches are still devoid of artifacts of sea life. There is still plenty of debris from passing cruise ships and a deep pile of weeds washed up but shells and sea glass finds are few and far between. But the water is warm, the wind not so bad and the sun is shining. All things considered was a great day for this walk.
 Along the way we could see the repairs made to the beaches with bulldozers where people could afford to have the dune protecting their property restored. It's a shame but it's a fact of life. Some people cannot afford to fight the sea and they will eventually lose their investment. Others keep piling up the sand and in many cases this seems to be effective. But then they may have a more substantial section of reef just off shore that reduces the force of the waves landing.
 Today with the calming continuing to progress, we finally launched the dink even though we arrived at Sea Spray back on 1/25. Once in the water it cooperated by starting up easily so I moved it around to the side of the boat where we could get into it more easily. Having some transportation now, and given the establishments on Lubbers were closed, we chose to travel around to Firefly for lunch. We have to say the view from their bar is without a doubt one of the best that Elbow Cay has to offer. While we enjoy the staff, food and environment at Sea Spray, some types of change are good. It was a refreshing break offering up an expansive view of the Sea of Abaco and the approaching weather.
 Even though we were in the dink the weather didn't seem to matter because most of it was to the West and moving slowly in our direction. Besides lunch was very good, and served to distract us from what was happening over the Northern Sea of Abaco. Deb had these bacon wrapped lobster skewers and I had a snapper sandwich that was on ciabatta bread with a spicy island tomato kind of salsa and sweet potato fries. Combined with the view it made for a memorable lunch. And then a bit of excitement developed when we started seeing the spouts forming in the distance. If you click on the photo at left the image of the spout is a bit easier to pick out. We figure this one was probably headed towards Guana Cay or Green Turtle but we have yet to hear anything so hopefully everyone is ok and no damage was done. Deb and I both agreed that sitting at a bar with a cool drink and lunch was a much better environment to review spouts versus being in the middle of the Gulf Stream.
   

One Month in the Abacos is gone already

 Wow, where did that go? With the month of January coming to a close it was time to move for a change of scenery. Upon a rising tide and calm weather we moved down to the Sea Spray Resort and Marina where we've previously had lunch after walking South along the Atlantic side of Elbow Cay. I think I mentioned they have a good grouper sandwich here and while chowing down on a couple of occasions we took in a couple of football games. Specifically, those leading up to the Giants vs. Green Bay.
 The crowd here was decidedly pro Green Bay and being a Giants fan, I intend to take full advantage of their prophecies. We'll see how it all plays out in the Super Bowl and I am thinking it will be a good game regardless of the outcome. Eli got away with a few hail mary passes in the last couple of games. Count me as one who is not sure that tact is going to carry forward well. We'll all see.
 The ride down was uneventful except for the fact that several sailboats were heading out of Hope Town Harbour to participate in a sailing regalia on the Sea of Abaco. Fortunately as our preparations evolved our departure from the dock fit into the pattern well and we had no issues. In fact we followed the Rage ( http://abacorage.wordpress.com/ ) out of the Harbour into the Sea of Abaco. It appeared as though many sailboats were headed out for a great day of sailing in a wonderful environment. As we continued cruising along the shore of Elbow we were in calm water in spite of the fact that the wind was stout out of the East. It pays to be in the Lee where the calm waters are. Docking in at Sea Spray we found our reserved slip was taken so we moved deeper into the marina and after a miscue of getting into a slip that was too short for us we found ourselves located on the other side of the finger we occupied last Winter. So it's all good and we are settled.
 It wasn't long before the beach walking along the South end of the Atlantic side of the Cay started and our beach combing began to produce some results. We found a few shells of interest but we have to admit this year it's slim pickings for shells with all of the dune repairs. It seems as though all of the shells are buried with new sand or, they were blown away by Hurricane Irene. Regardless, one item of interest turned up and it was this message in a wine bottle. If you click on the image you can read the details. It seems like they were out in the Atlantic cruising along having a great time throwing bottles over the side. Cool. So I sent them this same photo without the omissions and sure enough we received a response. Good fun. I asked that next time they send a full bottle enclosed in floatation to our attention although I'm relatively certain they will not. I'm thinking this bottle has been bobbing around about a year. Who knows. Regardless it was certainly quite a bit of fun for everyone at the Garbonzo bar here at Sea Spray where we had the "opening ceremony". Fortunately they had a cork screw to get the bottle re-opened. I was initially surprised how long it took to locate one but in reflection it makes sense given beer and rum are the preferred mechanisms here in the Bahamas.
 Speaking of hurricanes, things here survived very well. Probably better than other locations. The coastline is still a very comfortable walk and the road past the Abaco Inn has been stabilized. While it is a lane more narrow than it was before the storm it all works well enough and traffic flows without issue. Many houses are getting repainted since the storm provided a combination power washing and sand blasting of their trim and other surfaces. There's good stimulus in hurricanes and tropical storms. Ask any of the people in the North East United States that lived through this past Summer.
 Using Google Earth if you look at Sea Spray and compare its location to the Hope Town Inn and Marina, you will see it is more protected and well inside White Sound away from the inlets to the Atlantic or Sea of Abaco. Strangely it seems there are more fish in the marina here. Last night I turned on the transom lights and to my surprise there were many snappers swimming around in the light. So I went back aboard and got some old turkey stuffing that we saved for times like this. Once back on the dock I started to throw some into the water and it wasn't long before I had the surface quite active with fish hitting on the cubes of toast. That's when the unexpected happened. I good sized shark swam right under the dock I was standing at the edge of. I'm not thinking it was a Nurse shark because the nose was more pointy than that but it didn't have the black fin tips either. I suppose it could have been a juvenile Bull shark but the water was cloudy obscuring a good view even though it was perhaps only 4 feet below the surface.
 The pool is looking better all the time.

It goes on

 Here in Hope Town things have settled down. We've had a chance to visit a number of establishments and now that the boat is parked for a while, some work items I've wanted to get underway have been started. Some have actually been completed! Occasionally I impress (even) myself because now that we are retired finding time to squeeze in projects has become challenging.
 Today in spite of the demanding schedule and brisk winds out of the ESE we took the dink out onto the Sea of Abaco hoping to get around to the new place on Elbow called Firefly. Lunch out and about was our game since we had been cooped up with getting projects underway. We were hoping to use the dink since the West side of Elbow was in the lee today and we didn't want to walk all that far. As it turned out the ride around was smooth enough allowing us to make it to Firefly easily. Looking at the first two photos one can conclude the Sea of Abaco was cooperative. I believe the owners of this esthetically well positioned place are involved with Firefly Sweet Tea back in the States. I imagine they decided to burn some cash on a place over here on Elbow. In our opinion they have done a terrific job of locating a very pleasant establishment.
 They did a really nice job of laying out the property and setting up a very cool place to have a meal. As well accommodations within various cottages are located on the property if living aboard is not and option.  As you can see from these photos taken from the bar the view is spectacular and sunset dinners will be awesome. But we were here for lunch and Deb had a bowl of conch salad. I had their tuna as well as a calamari appetizer. Yes! We found fried calamari in the Bahamas and it was very good. It came with a sweet and spicy chili sauce drizzle that went well with an ice cold beer. The tuna was also well prepared and quite tasty although I would have wanted a bit more on the plate. The conch salad was as good as any on the island and there was plenty of it. So we both had a great meal at a reasonable price (for the islands) with a wonderful view.

 It was a refreshing break from installing a new outlet in the galley for the microwave, a stereo on the bridge, and some work with DirecTV that spanned several hours.
 Nothing goes into Freedom easily. Well, nothing of substance anway. To get the new outlet from a stand alone breaker associated with the inverter, I had to pull all of the paneling off the starboard interior wall. It might look easy but it isn't. The paneling fits into a groove under the window sill and another groove in the floor. That means paneling that has aged since 1985 has to bow out in the middle for its entire length to facilitate popping out of both grooves. If it cracks, the finish is ruined and it's in an obvious location. Anyway this portion is the comfortable zone of this project and it went very well. I was able to get the cable into the A.C. panel and pull it through under the inverter I installed in 2008. Once that far it went into the bilge where dwarfs have the advantage. Dan does not fit well down there. If you look closely at the photo (click on it) you will see the outline of the hatch over the starboard engine. That engine would be a Detroit 6-71 turbo charged inter cooled diesel with a 400 pound gearbox. The cable goes down into the bilge just aft of the floor mounted battery selector switch under the inverter. From there it goes across the salon floor and down into a conduit up to the bow where it then goes through the floor up into the galley. Cake. Not. But it's done and I can enjoy morning coffee without having to get up and reactivate a breaker that pops because the coffee maker and microwave are on the same circuit. I've had the parts on the boat 2 years now.
 What can I say?
 She finally wore me down.
 Anyway along with this, the stereo that has been aboard for a while also got installed. You may have noticed the grey wire hanging out of the vent opening above the inverter? They go to the speakers that have been muted by removal of the stereo to make room for the inverter. With this latest surge of activity the stereo has been relocated to the helm and we have speakers up there now as well. Once this grey cable gets pulled up a very narrow raceway that is loaded with control cables, A.C. freon lines and all sorts of other "trivial" stuff, we'll be able to listen to the Door's album (inside) I down loaded from Itunes the other day. Something like 40 of their best on a single album. I'm thinking the folks on the mooring balls would appreciate our keeping the volume down so the inside speakers are probably a good idea.
 As for DirecTV, I have to hand it to them. We have been down here the past three Winters and the basic antennae has worked flawlessly. We can order movies over the internet, and the picture only pixelates during stout wind storms or thunderheads when I don't have the tracking system up and running. This year we switched our install address to be that of Miami Florida coincident with our departure from the NYS residence. You guessed it, right when the playoffs started, the company (Sunbeam) owning the station that broadcasts FOX decided they wanted more money to transmit their infomercials and local news. DirecTV said no. Sunbeam pulled the plug. As a result everyone here as well as in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale using DirecTV missed the Giants game this past weekend. Last year we had good reception for the NYS stations all the way down to Staniel Cay which is the rumored limit so we knew based on past experience that we could watch FOX if we were not associated with a rogue local network. Even though we are no longer resident in NYS, DirecTV let us use the old address so we could watch FOX. Thank you DirecTV!

Finally a break in the wind!

  This last week we had a real blow out with 50+ mph winds in the Abacos. Freedom was moving side to side and around in her slip testing the lines to their limit causing some sudden stops that caught us off balance on a number of occasions. It was enough movement that it reminded us of crossing the Gulf Stream at the end of December but only in an amusing way. It wasn't like we had to crawl around on our hands and knees to prevent injury but it was enough that balance and composure were challenging to maintain. In spite of the rocking and sudden stops caused by taught lines, we managed to get the stereo installed, the electronics station on the bridge cleaned up and its face repainted.
  We did not hear of any damage being done but we all had to make certain the boats were adequately tied up. Those out on the hook moved to more protected areas like Marsh Harbour or the West coast of Abaco to be in the lee of shore thus mitigating the affect of the winds. It was a time to hunker down and keep an eye on the boat. Along with the wind the temperatures got down into the 40's and we were fortunate to have reverse cycle air conditioning aboard Freedom. At this point of Winter we think we have used the heat more often than we have in all years past. Hopefully this is not an indication of how the Winter will continue once this break from the cold fronts has concluded.
 Given the opportunity with this recent calm and warmer weather we were able to get a good walk along the Atlantic shore from Hope Town down to the Abaco Inn for some of their specials. It was comforting to learn they still make darn good conch fritters and their seared tuna is still a stand out special that can't be beaten. Others may try but the Abaco Inn has a lock on this dish.
 Since the weather window was good for a second day, and the second day was more calm, we took the dink out to the reef at the North End of Elbow Cay and looked around. It was calm enough we didn't need the look bucket or need to snorkel. The water was clear and calm enabling us to merely putt around looking at the coral heads and the fish living near and within them. There were a few encounters with nurse sharks and some large snapper that made us wish we had gear with us to capture some good eats. While we did not see any lobster antennae I'm thinking we might have found a couple if we were to throw the hook out there and dig around under the coral heads.
 Eventually we had seen enough and I pointed the dink at Snake Cay where we were hoping to see some of the large spotted rays but the sun hid behind the clouds by the time we got there and we could not see deep enough into the dark water to pick them out.
 Perhaps if  we had not stopped to help a sailboat that ran aground in Tilloo Cut we might have had sun light at Snake Cay but boaters have to help each other out if they can. They were hard onto the sand and grass with the tide going out, and they had a mess of kids on the boat with them. We pushed and tugged on their boat with all we had but we could not budge it. The captain elected to spend the day there waiting for tide and we moved on after wishing them good luck.
 Regardless it's all good and on the return to Hope Town we stopped off at Sea Spray for some of their awesome conch salad and blackened grouper sandwiches washed down by a couple of ice cold Kalik's.
 Days like this are tough to beat.

 The garmin data is up to date.

Happy 2012 and Goodbye 2011!

 Finally we can kiss off 2011. It was a rough year for the market, and for us, a difficult year to cross the Gulf Stream. We've been in Hope Town a full week now and the notion that we are here has crept into our minds allowing us to relax. We don't have all of the concerns over the weather and the boat delivered us safely.
 So we struck out to see how Elbow Cay fared in consideration of Hurricane Irene. I know that between Irene and Tropical Storm Lee many lives were left in waste, and we saw plenty of it when we drove out to Sayre Pa. just after Lee left that area. A major arterial Route 17 was underwater in many places and closed to traffic between Vestal and Elmira NY. The devastation that was brought upon so much of the East Coast and inland areas of the United States by those two storms is mind boggling. Our hearts go out to those that have and are still living a nightmare as a result. But now we are in a different environment and let's face it, a direct hit by a hurricane here is as significant but fortunately it does affect less people.
 However Elbow Cay seems to have survived in style! From what we have seen the beaches have some weak spots and serious erosion but by and large they managed to avoid destruction the likes of which New York and other New England states saw. The worst of this storm damage is focused at the cliff road leading South to the Abaco Inn, and the beach area just North of Sea Spray. The roads are safe and open but there are some pot holes and other repairs that are still needed. The locals have responded quickly to make restorations that can be depended on.   
 In spite of the bad weather, the Hope Town Inn and Marina is quickly taking shape and we look forward to the point that it comes online completely. It's going to be a very special stop for mariners willing to make their way to the Abacos and for a number of reasons. It is well located with regard to Marsh Harbour and it is in central Hope Town. Everything is a short dink away across the Hope Town Harbour and there are many facilities within the harbour that cater to travelers. It's going to put a stamp on the Abacos for sure.
 Since we were held up in Florida for an extended stay we had some extra expenses and we have to curtail some of the extra spending on dining out. In support of this we immediately ate out at the Edge, Sea Spray, The Reef Bar, Cracker P's and we also celebrated New Years Eve at the Hope Town Harbour Lodge. Maybe next week we'll settle down but some steam had to be let out and it was worth it.
 Friday evening we were fortunate enough to hitch a ride down to Tahiti Beach where many folks reviewed the fireworks display John Bull puts on for everyone. It was a great show and a lead in to the New Year's Eve festivities that take place in Hope Town. Up at the Reef Bar we had dinner and a D.J. along with all sorts of party favors revolving around a theme based on the Blues Brothers. Everyone had stern faces and cheap sunglasses on making for a fun evening. At midnight we sat on one of the porches overlooking the harbour and were treated to a great fireworks display put on by the Lodge. It was full of color and noise and right in our faces. Once in a while the wind shifted carrying the display overhead.
 After the fireworks everyone joined in with the Junkanoo parade that marched all around Hope Town and then back to the Lodge where free champagne was waiting for us. Not too shabby.
 With that, we hope everyone has a Happy Healthy and Prosperous New Year. Let's all make 2012 better than the past!
  Some extra photos are in the bucket here Photo Bucket Link
 The Garmin Tracks are up to date excepting perhaps the Lubber's dink ride. I have to create a new file for 2012 yet.